Jingle Bells, Batman Smells
by icebreaker316
Summary: Justice League holiday party on the Watchtower...chaos is sure to ensue.
1. Chapter 1

Post-Destroyer. As usual, DC owns all.

x.x.x

Batman sat in front of the giant screens of the Monitor Womb, his fingers flying over the keys. When something spontaneously popped up on the screen (this happened sometimes, what with the several memos and announcements floating through Justice League cyberspace), he immediately clicked escape without looking at it. The intrusive bulletin didn't disappear as it should have, so he clicked escape again. Still, it remained. Now he was irritated. His eyes scanned the top line of text involuntarily. They read "Justice League Holiday Party" in giant red letters.

"WALLY!!!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Meanwhile, a large group of heroes crowded around a flyer taped to the wall of the cafeteria.

"Oh no he didn't!" exclaimed Shayera, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"He never stops, does he?" said John. "Bruce is gonna kill him."

The sign on the wall read:

**Justice League Holiday Party**

**December 23 **

**7 pm in the Watchtower **

**Lots of food and lots of dancing**

**Mandatory for anyone who calls themself a hero**

**PS – No one can use the excuse that they don't celebrate Christmas, this is a Holiday party. I mean you, Al, it's the third night of Hanukkah and you're lighting the menorah.**

Atom Smasher let out a very audible grunt before exiting the cafeteria.

"Who knows, it could be fun!" suggested Stargirl. She always did love a good party. "I wonder what the dress code is?"

Before anyone could answer her question, Flash's voice rang through the intercoms.

"As you all may have noticed, several flyers have been posted around the Watchtower about the upcoming holiday party. All League members are invited, as well as their _plus ones_ if catch my drift," he said happily. "The more the merrier, I say! And Linda would kill me if she didn't get to come. Anyways, there's going to be--" A shuffling sound was heard and the Batman's voice replaced Flash's.

"There will be no holiday party," he asserted. A few disappointed sighs came from the heroes.

Flash's voice came back over the intercom. "Come on, Bats! Alfred's agreed to cook!"

"You're using my butler as a catering service?" growled the dark knight.

"He thinks it's a great idea. So does Superman. Oh and Nightwing, too. He's gonna take over your Gotham patrol that night so you can come to the party! What do ya know?"

"Absolutely not."

"That's too bad, because I've already booked a DJ for the dance party…and paid for it with your credit card. Non-refundable."

Another, more violent shuffling sound was heard, followed by an audible _whoosh_, which signified Flash's speedy exit. The intercom clicked off.

Batman stormed out of the transmitting station. "Clark!" he growled into his commlink.

"What is it?" asked the Man of Steel happily. A little too happily, thought Batman.

"Did you authorize this _holiday_ party?"

"Oh, come on Bruce. It'll be fun!" said Clark.

"I don't have time or patience for fun." Superman paused on the other end of the commlink.

"You know, you're getting crankier the older you get. We're having a holiday party whether you like it or not."

"We are _not_ having a party on the Watchtower."

"Yes we are. And you're going to be there."

"Maybe you didn't hear me clearly," snarled Batman, "No." Was he losing his touch?

"Why don't we put it to a vote?" Clark then contacted the other commlinks in the Watchtower. "Hey guys, all those in favor of a holiday party say 'aye.'" A deafening sound of 'ayes' was heard. "Alright then. All those in favor of making Batman go?" An even louder response of 'aye' followed. Batman was definitely losing his touch. "Looks like you're a bit outvoted, pal."

"You're absurd. I'm calling a founders meeting. Surely I won't be outvoted there." Batman was going to do everything he could to thwart this party.

Five minutes later, all seven founding members, including J'onn, sat around the circular table.

"Six to one, Bruce," said Superman seriously. Batman clenched his fists as tight as he could and rose from his seat, looking from face to face. Flash wore a smug grin, Clark's lips were threatening to pull into a smile, J'onn's face was contentedly serene, and both Shayera and John stared mockingly at the dark knight. Diana had her head cocked to the side, smirking widely at him.

"Traitors," he said angrily, before leaving the room. As the door closed behind him, a storm of laughter broke out. Bruce could make out all six of their individual laughs. They would pay for this.

Back in the conference room, the remaining six calmed down from their laughing fits. "Now that mister grumpy pants is gone, we can discuss the important things," said Flash.

"And what would those be?" questioned John.

"Planning the biggest party of the year, duh!"

"Y'know, I never pegged you for a party _planner_. I thought you just crashed them," teased Shayera. Wally stuck his tongue out at her.

"Whatever. Seriously though, guys. People are going to remember this party for _years_."

"Will we remember it in the morning?" pointed out Shayera slyly.

"Thanks, Shay. You've brought us to a very important point. Is anyone else thinkin' open bar?" grinned the speedster.

"We can't have alcohol!" butted in Clark.

"Why not, Boy Scout?" asked Flash.

"Because…because we just can't!" snapped the Man of Steel.

"Because some of us are underage?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"Too bad Courtney turned twenty-one six months ago. She's the youngest. I did my research." Wally nodded triumphantly.

Superman opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He glared at Wally. "Should we start calling you Question now?"

"Nah, he still takes the cake. But speaking of him, are we doing masks or no masks? Everyone pretty much knows my secret identity, so I'm cool with flaunting the Wally," he said smugly.

"Yeah, 'cause Wally West is right up there in society with Bruce Wayne," snickered Shayera. Everyone but Flash burst into giggles.

"Very funny," glowered the speedster, folding his arms angrily. "I thought this could be a good team bonding experience, everyone out of costume. But apparently no one is taking this as seriously as I am."

"You don't think we get enough team bonding around here?" asked John.

"Sure, as heroes. But not as people." Each of them considered this. "And everyone knows everyone else's identity anyway. I mean, after the whole Cadmus thing, secret identities kinda went outta style…thanks to Vic," he added. "What a trend setter."

The heroes decided on various party details such as decorations, the menu, and which part of the Watchtower to use for the festivities.

"I have a few questions," said J'onn.

"What is it, big guy?" asked Flash.

"First, what is a _plus one? _I am not familiar with that term._"_ Everyone at the table tried not to smile.

"Jane would be your plus one, J'onn," said Flash. "J'onn…plus one! Get it?"

J'onn pondered this for a moment. "Ingenious," he decided. "Jane does enjoy visiting the Watchtower. She finds this all most interesting."

"And you know you are both welcome whenever you like," said Diana happily to her friend. "We love her, too." J'onn smiled widely at her words.

"Thank you. And for my second question, will there be Oreos?" This time, no one tried to hide their smiles.

"It wouldn't be a party without Oreos," said Superman.

With that, Flash zoomed out of the room and back to the transmitting station. "Hey guys!" he said into the intercom. "Fastest man alive, here. Oh I like the sound of that…I should totally start my own radio broadcast. Why do I have the feeling Bats won't approve? Anyways, good news! Holiday party is a go, I repeat, holiday party is a go. The founding members, minus grumpy of course, thought it'd be cool if we went as our regular selves for a change, mix things up, ya know? You don't _have_ to, of course, if it interferes with your superhero ego. Trust me, I know how important that is, being the Fastest Man Alive. But I guess I'm more mature now than I used to be," he said with a sigh. Every League member paying attention rolled their eyes. "Other things are important too. So I'll be going as Wally. And hey, maybe a bat will transform into a vampire--I mean, into a Bruce Wayne!" He snickered into the intercom. "What'd'ya say, Bats? Ditch the cape and come as the playboy. Everyone'll have more fun that way. Well, I think I hear Batfootsteps coming this way. Better jet. Exit Flash, stage left!"

x.x.x

To be continued…….


	2. Chapter 2

WOW SORRY EVERYONE. It's waaaaaaay past Christmas and I've been really slow at updating. I apologize to all who read the first part and then waited in dire agony for the second part to come. My bad. And I swear the second part to The Night Has No Companion is also coming VERY SOON. I'm really bad at updating…please forgive me. If you are angry with me, then don't review. That's a suitable punishment. Enjoy anyway…

x.x.x

It was the morning of the 23rd and the Flash zoomed around putting Christmas lights up all around the Watchtower. He sang softly to himself. "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg, the Batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker got away….Jingle bells, Batman sme--" Suddenly a (thankfully) non-explosive batarang hit the wall a few inches from his head. He slowly turned around. A full-fledged Batglare caught him in the face. "Umm…I mean…Jingle bells, Wondy smells…Hawkgirl laid an egg…" Flash gave an innocent smile, but Batman just narrowed his eyes and walked away.

"For your information, I do _not_ lay eggs," said a woman's voice. Flash wheeled around.

"Oh, hey Shayera!" he said when he saw her. "Yeah…about that…Bats was about to strangle me…I just improvised."

"Right," she said. "You need any help with those?" She motioned to the string of lights.

"Sure, why not."

"Hey, are these…" She looked closely at the string of lights she held, focusing on one in particular. It was a logo, the Hawk symbol. Every seventh light was the Hawk symbol. The other six were the other original members' logos. Superman's family seal, Batman's Batsignal, Diana's Wonder Woman crest, Flash's lightning bolt, John's Green Lantern symbol, and J'onn's X.

"Yeah…had 'em custom made…cool huh?"

"Actually…it kinda is," she said sincerely, still examining the lights.

"I know. I'm brilliant."

"And I havta hand it to ya, Wally, this holiday party thing's a good idea. There's no better time like Christmas for people to bond." She lifted up off the ground and began to hang the lights above the giant windows looking out over the Earth. Flash looked up at her. Her face was sad.

"Shayera?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you ok?" Wally didn't really know how to ask a woman how she felt…especially one who was like an older sister to him.

"I'm fine," she said flatly.

"No, Shayera. I mean, is everything…ok…with you?" She turned and smiled lightly at him, coming back to the ground.

"I dunno…it's just…I keep remembering me and John's first Christmas together…well, it wasn't much of a Christmas. We went to another planet entirely but…I was so happy." Her voice was low and she looked down at the ground as she spoke. "I should have known the happiness wasn't going to last." Wally put a hand on her shoulder.

"I've always been on your side, and I always will be. He'll come around eventually. He has to." She looked up at him. Tears were threatening her bright green eyes, but she smiled.

"Thanks," she whispered and hugged him tightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You keep me sane…in an insane sort of way." They broke apart.

"Eh, at least I'm good for something." She laughed at his words and they both went back to hanging up the lights.

For about an hour, the two heroes transformed the Watchtower into a holiday wonderland, with the occasional assistance of other heroes such as Elongated Man and the Creeper. As they finished putting ornaments on the giant Christmas tree, Batman lurked by them attempting to go unnoticed. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work.

"Bats!" yelled Flash. "What'd'ya think?" The Batman turned and glared. "Oh and look at the lights! Look…it's the Batsignal!" Wally held up one of the Bat symbls on a string of lights. "And look, there's Supes'…and Diana's!"

"Well aren't you clever," grunted the dark knight. Wally stuck his tongue out and turned back to the decorations.

"Oh lighten up, Bruce." Shayera touched down on the ground in front of him. "You're gonna be there tonight, right?" she said in a lower tone. He gave no answer. "If you aren't, you're going to have a very disappointed princess, and a very ticked off friend of hers…who has a mace…" Batman folded his arms as well and the two glared at each other.

"Should I call that the Hawkglare?" he asked mockingly.

"Suppose you could. Hawks have excellent vision. Bats are blind. And you're blind as a bat, Bruce." The white lenses of his cowl narrowed at her words.

"Actually," said a deep, shadowy voice. They both looked to find the Question approaching them. "Bats use a technique called echolocation to navigate and find food. They emit high frequency sound pulses through their mouths and noses that hit an object and bounce back to them, which they hear as an echo. This allows them to determine the size, shape and texture of the object. It's a very sophisticated process."

"You totally just killed the mood," Shayera said to the faceless man.

"Yes, I'm known to do that." Off in the distance behind the Question, Shayera and Bruce both noticed a mocha-skinned woman with flowing, raven hair wearing a dark purple outfit emerge from behind a corner. She wore a devious smile, stretching from ear to ear. The Huntress was on the hunt.

"What do you want, Sage?" asked Batman, ignoring the predator-prey situation. The woman moved like a black panther, crouching in and out of the shadows, making no noise at all. She moved ever closer to her prey.

"Looking for Helena. She supposedly just arrived back from the mission in Egypt." The Huntress crept towards her boyfriend silently, still smiling. She prepared to pounce on him from behind, but just as she did, he turned around and caught her in his arms.

"Damnit, Vic!" she yelled, squirming in his iron grasp. Victor Sage laughed while he held Helena Bertinelli prisoner in his arms. "How the hell do you do that? I make absolutely no noise, but you always know!"

"Pure animal magnetism, Helena."

"Well, we sure have a lot of that, baby doll," said Helena.

"Yes we do. In terms of both the ethereal force residing within animate beings as well as the raw sexual attraction and charisma between us." She placed one of her hands against his masked face and let it slide down and around his neck. He visibly shivered. "Very…very much in abundance," he finished, his voice uneven.

"You two have no shame," said Shayera. She and Batman had just witnessed the strange display of affection. Helena turned towards her.

"Every group has to have its oddballs."

"And here we are, satisfying that societal rule," declared the Question. Without another word, the two oddballs of the Justice League walked away, Vic's arm around Helena's waist, her arm draped over his shoulders. After they disappeared, Shayera and Batman remained silent for several seconds.

"Y'know," said Shayera finally, "those two have the most functional and normal relationship in this whole goddamn team."

"Here come the prom king and queen," added Batman. Sure enough, Green Arrow and Black Canary walked by, sharing a strawberry milkshake.

"Tonight sounds like an excellent night to throw back a few drinks," scoffed Shayera.

"Open bar. One of Wally's better ideas."

"So, we will be seeing Bruce Wayne this evening?"

"Apparently he has nothing better to do," said Batman through clenched teeth. A triumphant smile spread across Shayera's face as she watched the dark figure escape in the other direction.

x.x.x

to be continued…..(I promise)


	3. Chapter 3

Apologies for the lack of speed in regards to updating… and I also apologize for the length. I promise we are getting to the party! It's just as I write, I think of other things to add in. Oh well, here's chapter 3.

** FYIs: the Creeper is Jack Ryder, and there's a brief reference to Solomon Grundy and how Shayera knew him (JL episode "The Terror Beyond" and JLU episode "Wake the Dead")

x.x.x

"Master Wallace, I must say this place looks absolutely splendid!" Alfred Pennyworth walked beside a smiling red-haired man through the Watchtower cafeteria.

"Bet it's an upgrade from that creepy old Batcave, huh?" said Wally West to the butler. The speedster wore khaki pants and a blue polo shirt.

"Very much so. I have a feeling this will turn out to be a very successful party, sir."

"Especially with your cookin' Jeeves! Thanks by the way."

"My pleasure. Anything to bring a little holiday cheer to the world's finest heroes."

Wally looked down at his watch. "6:55. The world's finest heroes better get their butts up here soon!" The two men turned the corner to the main bay of the Watchtower.

"I believe your guests have begun to arrive, Master Wallace," said Alfred as they came to a halt. About forty people dressed as civilians loitered around the main bay conversing happily with one another. Superheroes and plus ones were present among them.

"Alriiight!" squealed Wally. "Hey Jeeves, you gotta join in the fun!"

"Perhaps I will. I must take care of something first, however." Before Wally knew it, Alfred had disappeared. His mind didn't linger on the butler for long because Linda Park walked up to him.

"There you are," she said excitedly. "That teleporter thing is really kind of exciting. The feeling of having my molecules ripped apart and put back together is one for the books."

"I don't need a transporter to scatter my molecules for me. I can do that myself!" said Wally proudly.

"The molecules in your brain never fully return, do they?" teased Linda, knocking against his head. Just then, Alfred walked back into the main bay carrying a silver tray. The butler walked right past Wally and made a beeline to a certain tall, green Martian.

"For you, sir," said Alfred, holding out the tray in front of J'onn, whose face lit up when he saw what he was being offered. "Double Stuffed, I made sure of it."

"Oh, thank you Alfred! You are so kind!" said J'onn who scooped up the pile of Oreos from the tray, leaving the assortment of hors d'oeuvres beside them untouched.

"You're very welcome. Anything for you, Madame Jane?" said Alfred to the short, older woman at J'onn's side.

"Yes, thank you," she said, taking a slice of Bruschetta. "I don't know how you stand those Oreos, J'onn. If you eat too many, one day you will tire of them," she teased. J'onn beamed at her.

"I will never tire of Oreos, my dear. And did you know, they are the biggest selling cookie in China?"

"Only because you buy all of them!" she scoffed, stealing one of his Oreos and taking a bite. Alfred moved through the crowd, greeting the guests with much welcomed appetizers.

The commotion of the guests grew slightly when something flickered over the transporter. Lois Lane materialized with Clark Kent at her side.

"I told you we wouldn't be late, Lois," said the Man of Steel, who looked nothing like the Man of Steel at the moment since he too was dressed as a civilian.

"Do you have to be right about everything?" Lois stepped down off the transporter pad and disappeared into the crowd, conversing with the likes of Captain Atom (who did not change out of costume for the event, since he is living energy contained inside his suit) and John Henry Irons, aka Steel, about technology and weapon advancement in the military. Clark also joined the mass, meeting Alfred in the process.

"Master Clark, it is always good to see you," said the butler.

"You too, Alfred. Bruce here yet?"

"I believe the term _fashionably late_ applies to this sort of situation."

Superman rolled his eyes. "Typical playboy. Always has to make an entrance, doesn't he?"

"Afraid so, sir," said Alfred.

As the butler and Man of Steel spoke, a very intelligent, handsome, wealthy businessman stayed hidden deep within a small, shadowy corrider. His chiseled, battle-scarred body was dressed in a perfectly tailored Armani suit, and his thick, dark hair was slicked back and shiny. As he read Alfred and Clark's lips, he snickered at their conversation. Scanning the large group of assorted people in front of him, he involuntarily searched for one in particular. However, someone in the crowd spotted him through the darkness. Shayera broke off from the group she had been in and slinked out of the main bay, finding the back entrance to the shadowy corridor. She tiptoed silently closer to the man.

"Hello Shayera," said Bruce Wayne.

"Oh, come on!" she whispered harshly.

"How'd you see me?" he asked.

"Eyes like a hawk, remember? How'd you hear me?"

"Echolocation." They both laughed quietly.

"So…why are you hiding out in this dark, creepy corridor, Bruce? I mean, I'd understand if you were in the Batsuit and all…but you look like a male model at the moment."

"Supervising the children." His voice was the voice of Batman, not the overconfident playboy, but something about it made Shayera look a little deeper into the situation. She noticed his eyes weren't scanning the crowd. They were fixed on something, so she followed his stone gaze to a certain Amazon princess wearing a knee-length red dress.

"Hmph…that's not all you're supervising." Bruce turned his gaze to Shayera, only it had morphed into the Batglare.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh nothing, nothing. Maybe Bruce Wayne will grace us with his presence tonight, who knows." Bruce gave an audible grunt at her words. "I'm gonna go get a drink, you want one?" asked Shayera. The Batglare softened.

"Why not," shrugged Bruce.

"Too bad. Get it yourself," she scoffed and disappeared out of the corridor the way she came. Leaving Bruce Wayne to stare at the princess, Shayera walked directly to the open bar that had been set up in the cafeteria. The room that used to be where everyone ate now looked like a grand hall fit for royalty. She smiled proudly at the amazing job she and (mostly) Wally had done.

"My Birdnose!" said a screeching voice. A wild-eyed man with yellow skin and green hair stood behind the bar juggling eight bottles of Champaign.

"Jack, I thought you were going to give the Creeper a break tonight. And don't call me Birdnose," she said glumly.

"Aw, I'm sorry, does it make you saaaad?" The Creeper put down the bottles and batted his green eyelashes at her. "You miss Big Ugly, don't ya?"

"It's Grundy. Just shut up and poor me a Scotch."

"Ah ah ah!" He shook his index finger and jumped up onto the bar. "See that up there?" Both he and Shayera looked up at the ceiling where a large clump of mistletoe was hanging. "Ya gotta lay one on me first, sugar. Then ya get the goods."

"You have got to be kidding me," said Shayera. Creeper pouted his lips, awaiting a kiss. Instead, he received a very hard punch to the face and fell onto the floor cross-eyed. She walked around to the other side of the bar, stepping over him while he drooled onto the floor. "Merry Christmas, Creep," she sneered.

"Creep_errrr_," wheezed the crazy man on the floor. Shayera grabbed the bottle of Scotch and poured herself a glass, downing it in two seconds. Once she had recovered from the burning sensation in her throat, she poured another and walked back to the horde of people. Almost immediately, Diana scouted her out.

"I need that," said the princess seriously. She grabbed the glass out of Shayera's hand and drank every last drop of the smooth liquid.

"Uhh…nervous much?" said Shayera. Diana shoved the glass back to her friend.

"No…well…ugh, no," said Diana, extremely frazzled. "I mean, I don't have any _expectations_ or anything…it's just…oh, I don't know!" She cupped her palm to her forehead and groaned. Shayera snuck a peak at the dark corridor, seeing the faintest twinkle of an eye looking their direction. She knew Batman was an expert in lip-reading, so she smirked slightly towards the hidden man before Diana looked up again. "What's wrong with me?" whispered the princess. Before Shayera answered, she moved ever so slightly to the side so anyone hiding in a dark corridor could see both their faces clearly.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Di. He's the one with the issues. And I don't know one guy on this planet who wouldn't kill to dance with this." Shayera looked her up and down, nodding approvingly.

"Batman wouldn't," whispered Diana.

"Well, lucky for you, Batman won't be here tonight, will he?"

"Hmm…I guess not."

"Bruce Wayne on the other hand…"

"Oh, stop it. Bruce Wayne beds a different woman every other night," said Diana reproachfully. Shayera gave an evil glance towards the dark corridor.

"Maybe tonight will be your night." The Thanagarian imagined Bruce with his mouth wide open in disbelief. It made her chuckle ever so slightly. Diana on the other hand, was not so amused.

"I'd rather die than be taken advantage of like that," she said fiercely. Shayera put a hand on Diana's shoulder.

"And that's why you're the only woman he won't let himself have. He'd rather die than see you taken advantage of, Diana." The princess smiled sadly at her.

"Thanks."

"Just stating the facts. Hey, I gotta go check on something, so I'll be right back, ok?" The two women parted, Diana deeper into the crowd, Shayera out of the main bay and back into the corridor. A certain shadowy figure still lurked. Before it could say anything, Shayera added bitterly, "But if you want my opinion, you'd better take advantage of her before someone else less noble does." A few seconds of uncomfortable silence went by before she got a response.

"I don't want your opinion." His voice was severe and purely Batman.

"She's my best friend, Bruce. If anyone deserves her, if anyone is worthy of her, it's you."

"Get out," he growled through a tightly clenched jaw.

"Food's ready," she shot back before leaving him in a cloud of self-hate.

x.x.x

to be continued…..(next chapter is party time)


	4. Chapter 4

Yay, party time! There are a couple references to the episode "This Little Piggy." (Which explains Zatanna's last line in this chapter, as well as the last song.) Sorry this is taking so long, everyone. I own nothing, including the songs…they definitely aren't mine.

x.x.x

"John? You in there, boo?" asked Mari. She stood on her tiptoes so she was level with her boyfriend whose neon green eyes were glassed over. "Earth to John…" Finally Green Lantern blinked and came out of his reverie.

"Uh, what?" he asked, finally looking at her.

"You seem a little distracted tonight. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. Man, I'm starved!" John walked past Mari and blended with the large crowd that was now filtering into the cafeteria. Vixen stayed behind and looked over in the direction John had been staring. The pair of wings stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Only a matter of time, Mar. Better be ready for it," she said sadly to herself before joining the mass.

_Oohs_ and _aahs_ went up all around when everyone noticed the drastic transformation of the Watchtower cafeteria. Wally stood by proudly accepting the various versions of "good job" and "wow this place looks great!" Alfred directed the colorful group to the giant buffet table, which held half a dozen turkeys, a few hams, numerous bowls of spaghetti and meatballs, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and a ridiculously large assortment of other holiday food. Once everyone had piled their desired amount of goodies onto their plates and had their choice of drink in hand, they sat down. The circular tables used for everyday meals had been adorned in red tablecloths complete with a set of candles at each.

Bruce Wayne made his way to the other end of the corridor which, fortunately for him, opened up to the cafeteria. He attained a perfect view of the party from safe within the protection of his beloved darkness. The cloud of self-hate Shayera left him in didn't dissipate for several minutes. So, instead of revealing himself just yet, he remained hidden and took the opportunity to study the League's social atmosphere. This information could possibly come in handy at a later time, for what reason he had no idea. Nevertheless, he watched as John escaped the suspicions of Mari by running away to the cafeteria, something he must have picked up from Wally.

There were fifty-eight people present, not including himself and Alfred. They sat in small groups at each of the tables set up. Bruce once again found himself searching for Diana in the crowd. When he spotted her, she was sitting at a table with Shayera, J'onn, Jane, Kent Nelson, the man beneath the Doctor Fate helmet, and his wife Inza. It seemed as though Shayera tried to take up as much room as possible, assuring no one else would sit down at their table. When she turned a reproachful eye toward the corridor, Bruce snickered. After making a mental note of Diana's location, he looked around to find other staple members of the League. At the next closest table sat Wally and Linda, Clark and Lois, and John and Mari. The three women were deep in conversation while their male counterparts attempted to contribute.

Towards the back, only four people sat at one table. Bruce immediately understood why when he noticed the intimacy between the group's two couples. Oliver Queen had an arm wrapped around Dinah Lance while she playfully shoved a forkful of food into his mouth. The ever-so-modest Helena Bertinelli and Victor Sage sat in even closer proximity to each other. When Vic discovered a rather long noodle in his spaghetti, Helena grabbed it, put one end in her mouth and the other end in Vic's. They proceeded to reenact Lady and the Tramp, ending in a very passionate kiss that made Bruce slightly uncomfortable. After checking each of the other tables, he turned his eyes back to Diana's. Her face looked sad, maybe even disappointed, as she listened to the conversations of the people around her. The food on her plate remained untouched.

"Diana, you alright?" Shayera asked her quietly.

"Yeah, I just need some air." The Princess rose from her seat and motioned for Shayera to follow her. The Thanagarian obeyed, excusing herself from the table. They disappeared from Bruce's sight but reappeared in the empty main bay of the Watchtower. He moved towards the other end of the corridor to get a better view of them. From the distance they were at, it was not necessary to lip read. He could hear them perfectly.

"What is it?" asked Shayera, concern stretching across her sharp features.

"I'm losing it," said the Princess, hiding her face in her hands. A severe pang of remorse erupted inside of Bruce. "It's just…seeing J'onn and Jane, Kent and Inza…all the couples…everyone's so happy together and…" She paused and looked up. "In love!" A single tear slid down her face.

"Not everyone," offered Shayera, meaning herself.

"But at least you know what it feels like, Shayera!" Diana's voice was weak and shaky. "To be happy…and to be with the one you love. I'll _never_ know what that feels like. _Never._" Bruce winced at the word never.

"Don't say never, Diana. Miracles happen. I know that sounds cheesy, but they do. Just give him time." Shayera put a hand on Diana's shoulder. The princess gave a weak smile, but before she could answer Wally zipped past them, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

"Now what the hell is he doing?" Shayera asked. The speedster came to a halt in front of the control panel and punched in a combination of keys at light speed.

"Hey man, you ready?" Wally said into his commlink. "Ok, here we go." All of a sudden, the silhouette of a teenage boy flickered over the transporter pad. Bruce almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Tim Drake materialize. "Tim's gonna be our DJ!"

"DJ Robin, at your service!" said the fourteen-year-old boy wonder and sidekick of Batman.

"He comes highly recommended," added Wally.

"Wait, I thought you said you _paid_ for a DJ?" said Shayera.

"Nah, I just said that to make sure this party happened. And to tick Bats off, one of my favorite pastimes."

Tim jumped down off the transporter pad. "I found out about this little party you guys were having and asked Bruce if I could come. He said no of course, so I asked Dick to talk to Wally."

"And whalaa, we have ourselves a DJ!" finished Wally.

"Bruce is gonna throw a shitfit, you know that right?" said Shayera.

"Ehh, he isn't even here, what's the big deal? And the kid has mad skills on the turntables. He might even be better than Dick, actually."

"And Alfred's going to make sure he doesn't drink anything but Shirley Temples tonight," said a cheerful female voice. Zatanna joined their pow-wow.

"Right on time, Z. Will you do the honors?" asked Wally.

"As long as I get to pick the opening song." Tim and Wally looked at each other.

"Deal," they said simultaneously. Zatanna pulled out her wand and said a series of spells. Suddenly the tall transporter pad began to tremble before it morphed into a flat surface, serving as a dance floor. Next, the bright fluorescent lights were turned into strobe lights and a chandelier appeared from the ceiling. Huge speakers shot up in different places and the control console used for transporting people turned into a giant turntable. Bruce stared as the Watchtower transformed into a nightclub and kicked himself for allowing this party to happen.

"Sweet!" squealed Tim who raced up to it and threw on the high-tech headphones. "Wow, this crossfader is incredible!" he said while he scratched at the records.

"Looks like Caesar's Palace in here!" said Shayera.

"It's better than Caesar's Palace. The floor and lights are enchanted, so they'll change appearance according to the mood of the music."

"How about a quick demonstration?" said Tim. With the volume turned down low so as not to attract attention yet, DJ Robin turned on an upbeat song. The lights immediately flared up, shooting colorful beams everywhere while the floor kicked in the black-light effect. Tim danced to the music behind the turntable. "Exhibit A, the _rave!"_ Everyone laughed, including Diana. The music changed to a slow, romantic song and the lights calmed down, shining only soft reds and blues onto a glowing floor. "Exhibit B, the _Romeo and Juliet!"_ He pretended to hold someone in his arms, doing a waltz with his imaginary partner. This provoked even harder laughs from his audience.

"I gotta hand it to ya kid, you're a real performer!" said Zatanna.

"Have to entertain myself somehow. It's not easy working with the most depressing guy in the most depressing city."

"Amen to that!" said Wally. "What'd'ya say we get this thing started, huh? Hey Alfred," he spoke into his commlink. "Tell all those lazy bums to get in here for some dancing!"

"Right away, sir," answered Alfred. The butler picked up a glass and tapped it with a spoon to get the guests' attention. "Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. West wishes me to, and I quote, 'tell all you lazy bums to get in there for some dancing.' However, for those of you who find his generation of dancing to be distasteful, you are more than welcome to remain where you are and interact as civilized people." Laughter broke out from every person in the cafeteria. Almost immediately, those who had finished their meal made their way to the main bay, each one gasping in surprise when they entered.

"Take it away, Tim!" shouted Wally.

"What's goin' on Justice League and friends!" he said into the microphone. "I'm Tim Drake, your very own DJ Robin, and this is gonna be the sickest party in the history of parties. I'll be taking song requests and dedications, so if ya wanna hear a certain song or dedicate _I'm a Barbie Girl_ to Bruce Wayne, I'm all ears! And maybe if you're feeling lucky, I'll let you take a crack at the table! So Z, what'll it be?" he finished.

Zatanna didn't need time to contemplate which song to start the night off with. She flicked her wand and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" blasted through the speakers. Once again, the strobe lights went crazy and the Watchtower turned into a rave. "Hey Mike!" she screamed over the music.

"Right here, beautiful," said a deep, lumbering voice a short distance behind her. Mike Maxwell, the B'Wana Beast, opted for attending the party fully dressed instead of showing up in his trademark loincloth. Zatanna grabbed him by the collar and tugged him onto the dance floor.

"I'll show you the fire of the cheetah, Beasty!" she said. B'wana Beast just smiled as if he was in heaven. Everyone else followed their lead, charging onto the dance floor. Only Shayera and Diana remained behind, observing the chaos in front of them.

"You don't want to join them?" asked Diana.

"Nah. I'm gonna need a few more drinks before I can go out there. What about you?"

"I'm not really in the mood." The two women stood there in silence through the next three songs. Shayera tried to think of a way to get Bruce out of the corridor without physically dragging him out by force. Finally, a brilliant idea popped into her head.

"I'll be right back. Don't move from this spot, k?" Diana nodded and Shayera bolted away, taking a detour to get to Tim so no one would see her.

"Psst!" she hissed at him. He turned around and looked at her strangely.

"Uhh…why are you hiding?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter. Tim, this is very important. You need to play "Am I Blue?" immediately after this song."

"Which version? There's like a hundred."

"Well, which one's the best?" she asked quickly.

"One time, when I was supposed to be studying, I walked by Bruce's room and heard the Cher version playing." Both he and Shayera smiled deviously.

"Let's go with that one, then. You have to play it right away, got it? And don't say I requested it or anything."

"Why not?"

"The song isn't for me. You just have to trust me on this, ok?"

"Hmm…" he considered the situation for a moment. "Only if you get me a Shirley Temple." Shayera rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'll be back in a few minutes." Shayera took the same detour back around to where Diana stood.

"Where'd you go?" asked the princess.

"Oh, I just had to go to the bathroom," she answered innocently. A few seconds later, the current song came to an end.

"Alright, here's a nice slow one for all you lovebirds out there!" said Tim over the microphone. The slow music began to play and the lights adjusted accordingly. Several people walked off the dance floor, leaving only the couples. Shayera stole a peek at Diana's face. She was on the verge of tears.

Before he could change his mind, Bruce practically sprinted out of the corridor. When he got to Diana's side, he didn't stop, but grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

x.x.x

to be continued still………..


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own any of the songs or characters featured in this story, so please don't sue me. This chapter is mildly fluffy, just letting you know. Once again, I apologize for being a slowpoke. You can't rush genius! Just kidding, I have no genius, just an obsession with the Justice League.

x.x.x

"What in Hades?! Get your hands off of me you--" Diana's words caught in her throat. The man dragging her like a sack of potatoes across the dance floor came to a halt and abruptly swung her around into his arms. The piercing blue eyes stabbed at her like ice, infinitely more frightening than the white lenses of the cowl. His face was severe, expressionless. "Bruce?" she whispered. "Wh-when did you get here?" He didn't respond right away, but pulled her closer so their bodies were touching. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, and she could have sworn she felt his heartbeat too.

"I've been here awhile," he said flatly. For the first time in a long time, Bruce had absolutely no plan for what he was doing. He decided the best route to take was honesty, nothing more, nothing less.

"Oh," she squeaked. She stared into the ocean of his eyes, attempting not to drown in them. As a fierce Amazon princess and warrior, Diana would not allow herself to show any weakness. "Well, what have you been doing this whole time?" she demanded. She would not be defeated by a man such as this. But he was so much more than a man to her. He always had been. The instrumental introduction of the song came to an end, and Cher's voice rang out through the Watchtower.

_Am I blue? Oh, am I blue?_

"Hiding," he said without hesitation. At first, this answer came as a shock to Diana, but the more she thought about it, the more it wasn't so shocking.

"Hmm…I suppose that's not completely out of character for you."

_Ain't these tears in these eyes tellin' you?_

They hadn't started moving, but remained stationary in each other's arms. Bruce stared into Diana's eyes, the menacingly cold expression not wavering."Diana, I want you to know something," he said urgently. Her heart stood on edge as it prepared for the worst.

_Am I blue? Oh, you'd be too…_

"I am the _last_ man on this Earth that any woman should fall in love with." A sense of dread swept over her, but his icy expression started to melt away and Diana recognized a fire in his eyes.

_If each plan with your man done fell through._

"But I've come to realize," he continued. "If any man is lucky enough to have _your_ love, he shouldn't waste a second of it."

Time seemed to stop. At first, Diana refused to believe what she had just heard. Surely she had gone insane and her mind was playing tricks on her. That wouldn't have been surprising. But as she stared into his burning eyes, she knew it was real. He brought his hand up to her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"I'm just sorry it took so long," he whispered. "I love you, Diana."

Upon hearing those three words accompanied with her name, Diana closed her eyes and thanked the gods and goddesses. When she opened them again, a single tear slid down her cheek. Bruce wiped it away with the back of his hand while the workings of a smile began to appear on his face.

"I love you too, Bruce," she whispered. And then a miracle happened. He flashed his brilliant white teeth in the biggest smile she had ever seen from him. It rivaled the smile he wore when the Black Mercy gave him back his parents in a dream. He leaned in so their faces were centimeters apart, letting her come the rest of the way. When she pressed her lips to his, the warmth surged through her body. This kiss was nothing like the one in the restaurant during the Thanagarian Invasion. Although it had been nice to feel his lips against hers, it wasn't real, and wasn't fueled by raw emotion like this one. Bruce wrapped his fingers up in her silky hair and cradled her closer. Diana took the opportunity to throw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, if that was at all possible. After several glorious seconds of nothing but the smooth motion of their lips, they were forced to break apart from lack of oxygen. Neither of them were ready to pull back, however. Their foreheads remained touching, and they slowly started to dance.

"You know," whispered Diana. "I think you sing this much better than Cher does." They both laughed while their bodies moved together in unison. Bruce ignored the thumbs up he was now receiving from Zatanna and began to sing softly into Diana's ear.

Up at the turntable, Tim and Shayera watched as Bruce and Diana held each other in their arms.

"Dang, you're a genius," said Tim, slurping at his Shirley Temple.

"I know. I try not to pride myself too much on that fact." Nevertheless, Shayera gave herself a mental pat on the back for this particular scheme. It worked perfectly.

"So, don't you have anyone special to dance with?" Tim's question prompted Shayera to look down at John and Mari dancing beneath her.

"No," she said sadly. "I'm a lone wolf."

"Oh," he said quietly. "Well, do you want to pick the next song?" Tim gave a comforting smile to Shayera.

"Sure," she said quietly, returning the smile. "R.E.M. Everybody Hurts. It's one of my favorites."

"And one of the most depressing," added Tim. "Comin' right up."

As "Am I Blue?" came to a close, Tim came back over the microphone. "This one goes out to the lone wolves. Just remember, everybody hurts sometimes." As the slow, smooth music began, every couple but one remained on the dance floor. John walked off the dance floor, leaving Mari to trail behind him. He glanced up at Shayera and their eyes met for a split second. The moment ended and John walked out of sight. Tim witnessed the short encounter and immediately understood the situation, but decided it was best not to say anything.

Shayera turned her eyes back to the dance floor. Bruce and Diana hadn't released each other. Clark and Lois inched ever closer to them, attempting to eavesdrop. Ollie had his arms around Dinah's waist as she rested her head against his shoulder. Wally and Linda were both chatting as they danced, completely oblivious to anything but each other. Zatanna continued to lead B'wana Beast around the dance floor, and he continued to let her. Shayera was forced to do a double take when she saw Vic and Helena. They looked like they were a single person, their bodies so close and tangled up. Several other couples dotted the softly glowing dance floor, but she didn't have the patience to study each one. Or perhaps she didn't have the strength. Nevertheless, it was time for her to abandon her perch.

"Alright kid. I better get back to civilization," said Shayera.

"Hey, come back anytime. Maybe you can hook me up with a super-powered hot chick too!" he said excitedly.

"Hmm….actually, I could probably get you a date with Mary Batson. You're around the same age."

"Wait, isn't that…." Tim's eyes widened as he put two and two together. "She totally transforms into Mary Marvel, doesn't she?!" he squealed.

"On second thought…" teased Shayera. Tim glared at her.

"What, you don't think I can handle her?" He put his hands on his hips. "I can handle anything. I'm freakin' Robin!"

"And hawks eat robins for breakfast, little man." Tim stuck his tongue out at her. Shayera laughed as she left him to his daydreams. The R.E.M. song ended and once again Tim's voice came over the mike.

"Now that we're past all the gooey songs, let's kick it old school. 1982 anyone?" The guitar blared through the speakers as Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n Roll" sent the majority of the population rocketing onto the dance floor. Bruce and Diana took the opposite route. With their hands still clasped together, they made their way into the now empty and peaceful cafeteria.

"Do you remember when we were on that rooftop? Before the run-in with Circe?" asked Diana as they sat down at a table. Bruce's face had been carefree and happy-go-lucky for the past ten minutes, but suddenly, that happy expression started to slip away.

"Yes," he said solemnly.

"So, I assume you recall those three tips you recited from Batman's Guide to Dating?"

"I might."

"What were those again?" asked Diana playfully. Bruce cleared his throat before reciting them again.

"Dating within the team always leads to disaster."

"Ahh yes." She smiled at him.

"That viewpoint is no longer valid," he said, his face perfectly serious.

"Oh really? Enlighten me," she said, still smiling.

"Well, take Ollie and Dinah, Vic and Helena. They have perfectly healthy long-term relationships, which completely disproves my theory. The only disastrous one is between John and Shayera. That, however, was a fluke. If not for the fact that Shayera was a spy feeding intel to her home planet so they could more easily take over ours, I'm convinced their relationship would have gone smoothly."

Diana chuckled at the explanation. "Fair enough. Next?"

"You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors, I'm a rich kid with issues…lots of issues."

"That's a tough one to get around," she said.

"It is. But my issues have never really been….an issue…to you, have they?" he asked.

"Not at all," she assured him, smiling even wider.

"And your immortality versus my mortality…" he thought on it for a moment. "I'll have to get back to you on that one. But I'm sure with modern medicine and technology, we can figure something out."

Diana always dreaded the fact that Bruce would die one day. But since she didn't want to spoil her current happiness with those thoughts, she continued to smile at him. "Hopefully. And what was that last one?"

"If my enemies knew I had someone special, they wouldn't rest until they'd gotten to me through her. That was when you smashed the gargoyle's head."

"Oh right!" she said. "You should be happy it wasn't your head." This made him laugh. "So what did you come up with for this one?"

"I figure even if Batman didn't have someone special, they would still use you to get to me, since you are a friend and teammate. It's only logical. But if Batman _did_ have someone special, and my enemies _did_ know about her, chances are she'd be able to take care of herself since she has flight and enhanced strength."

"Hmm, don't you think you're being too optimistic? Putting a bit too much faith in me?" she asked, playing the devil's advocate.

"Would you prefer me to view you as a damsel in distress, dependent on a man to rescue her? A man with no superpowers whatsoever?"

"No. I suppose not. But you do have superpowers, Bruce," she whispered, leaning in closer to him. "This…" She placed one of her hands against his head. "This is your superpower. And this." She placed the other hand on his chest, directly over his heart. Diana noticed the slightest twinkle of a tear or two in his eyes as they looked at each other, but she didn't have time to investigate. Bruce ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her gently towards him. However, before their lips could meet, a deafening burst of applause came from the entrance of the cafeteria. Dozens of people cheered at Bruce and Diana, the most loud and obnoxious being Clark, Wally, Shayera and Tim. Bruce did not appreciate this interruption at all. In order to show his disapproval, he shot the most furious Batglare in the group's general direction. Since the cowl didn't cover his eyes, the glare was even more powerful, exacting complete silence in a matter of milliseconds. The terrified people immediately got the hint and scurried as fast as they could from Bruce's line of sight.

When the last person had disappeared, Bruce turned back to Diana. She was desperately trying not to laugh, but when his eyes met hers, the giggles came spilling out. When he saw this, Bruce couldn't help himself, and he too burst into laughter.

x.x.x

to be continued…..(yes, there is still one more chapter)


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry this one took so long. Just got back to school, yay. I didn't fit in all the stuff I wanted to, so there will be one more chapter. I know, I'm horrible.

x.x.x

"Clark is that…is that _absinthe?"_ asked Shayera.

"As a matter of fact it is!" said Clark. In his hand was a large glass filled with a glowing green liquid.

"It's the only alcohol strong enough to get him buzzed," said Lois, who held a martini glass in her hand. The man of steel threw back the absinthe, draining the entire glass in one gulp.

"Who's the boy scout now?" teased Clark, a funny smile spreading across his face.

"This is his fourth one," Lois whispered to Shayera, tearing the empty glass away from Clark.

"Aw come on, Lois!" said Clark. "You remember that one time I had like ten, and you had at least six shots of tequila, and we went up to the roof of the Daily Planet and danced to that Mandy Moore song…._naked!" _ Superman giggled uncontrollably after that.

Lois, looking absolutely mortified, clapped a hand over his mouth. "We're gonna go sit down now," said Lois, speaking slow to her boyfriend so that he could comprehend. "We'll talk to you later, Shayera."

Shayera just chuckled as she watched Lois drag the man of steel over to a couch. He immediately plopped down, bringing Lois with him in his lap. She didn't seem to mind too much, Shayera noticed.

"Shayera!" said a high-pitched voice. The Thanagarian turned to find a grinning Zatanna coming toward her. Her arm was draped around B'wana Beast, whose shirt had magically become unbuttoned and his tie wrapped around his head like a ninja. His strawberry blonde hair was a mess, but a dazed smile was glued to his face. The two sweating heroes came to a halt in front of her. "Shayera," she repeated, panting slightly. "This is the greatest party ever!" she squealed. "We have got to do this more often!"

"Yeah!" said Shayera with forced enthusiasm. Apparently she wasn't drunk enough to get excited.

"This guy," breathed Zatanna, patting Mike Maxwell's bare chest, "is an animal!"

Shayera attempted to act surprised. "Really! I…well, who would'a known?" B'wana Beast began to crack up at the semi-joke. While still in midlaugh, the songs switched and "Feel Good Inc." by the Gorillaz started to play. Zatanna and B'wana Beast suddenly looked at each other.

"The Gorillaz!" they choked out simultaneously before falling over each other with laughter. Together they stumbled back out onto the dance floor, hopping around like monkeys.

"They look like they're having fun," said a smooth voice behind Shayera, who turned to see Mari walking up beside her. Shayera forced a laugh.

"Yeah, this turned out great," she said.

"Uhh…when did we get a grand piano?" asked Mari. This question caught Shayera off guard, but what she saw next caught her even more off guard. She followed Mari's gaze to a shiny black piano a few yards away.

"What the…" Not only was there a grand piano sitting in the middle of the main bay of the Watchtower, but it was actually being played. Dinah sat at the stool playing dramatically, her hands moving like water over the keys, head banging to the beat. Weirder still, Ollie was lying across the top of the piano propped up on his elbow. In front of him, along the front of the piano, sat five empty wine glasses. The sixth glass was in Ollie's hand, half full. "Is that Clocks? By Coldplay?" Shayera asked.

"Now it's Clocks by Ollie and Dinah. Can you hear Ollie singing?"

"Isn't it usually the other way around? The guy plays the piano while the girl lies on top of it in a red dress singing the song?" Both women just stared at the odd scene in front of them. Sure enough, Ollie's voice reached them and they could discern the lyrics of the song.

"_Confusion never stops…closing walls and clicking tocks…gonna come back and hake you tome…I could not stop that you no no singin…come out upon my seash, cursed missed opptunities… am I part of the cuuure or am I part of the dishease singing…yyyeeeeooooooohooooh aaaaaaah!"_

"Oh wow. I wish I had a camera for this one," said Mari.

"I bet I could bribe Vic into giving us the security tapes."

"Speaking of Vic, what are _those _two doing?" Mari pointed towards Vic and Helena. They were both on the floor, rolling around, laughing hysterically.

"They are either wrestling…or having sex. I can't really tell," said Shayera.

"I swear I saw that damn green fairy, Lois!" screamed Clark. Mari and Shayera turned their attention to him. He had risen from the couch with Lois clinging to his back. "It was right over there!" He pointed a short distance away and started to lumber forward.

"You get that fairy, babe!" choked Lois between fits of laughter. The man of steel proceeded to grab at the air, turning every which way to catch the imaginary green fairy brought on by the absinthe. Eventually he toppled over bringing Lois with him.

"Just look at all the happy couples," said Mari with a laugh. "It's such a relief to see Bruce and Diana together finally."

"Yeah! About time I say. It's been like a soap opera between them the past couple of years. They both just deserve to be happy," finished Shayera.

"Everybody does," said Mari with a sad sigh.

"So…are you having a good time?" asked Shayera hesitantly even though she already knew the answer from Mari's expression. The darker skinned woman shrugged.

"John is being exceptionally vague tonight."

"Oh." Shayera didn't really know what to say to that. Luckily she didn't have to say anything, because Mari started speaking again.

"Do you remember when I told you no matter how bad a book or a movie is…I can't stop until I get to the end?" she asked, to which Shayera nodded. "Well, what if you already know how it ends? Is there a point in continuing?" Brown eyes met green in a moment of understanding.

"Mari, I don't…" started Shayera, but nothing else came out.

"Shayera, I know about Warhawk," blurted Mari.

"You…you do?" asked Shayera. Mari nodded. "But how did…"

"You won't believe how fast the gossip train travels around this place. Anyway, I've known for a while. John doesn't know I know, though."

"Well, it doesn't matter. We decided we aren't going to let fate get the best of us," reasoned Shayera painfully. Mari giggled quietly to herself and put a hand on Shayera's shoulder.

"Everyone knows how this book ends, Shay. And so do I. I might not like it, but I can't change the words on the page. I can't force the author to write it differently, that's not how it works." Shayera just blinked in slight disbelief as she listened to Mari. "There's no point in going through the time and the pain just to find out what you've known all along…that it doesn't end the way you wish it did."

"But…what about seeing things through?" whispered Shayera, repeating Mari's words from a few months ago.

"I've seen this through all I need to," she said with a weak smile.

"He loves you," said Shayera.

"He loves you more. And he loves Rex. I'm not going to rob you of being a mother, Shayera," she said, tears twinkling in her eyes. "I don't have the heart. And I don't have the heart to keep John away from what he really wants. It's not fair to him, to you, or to Rex. I'm not going to stand in the way of three people's happiness for the sake of my own."

"R-rex doesn't even exist," quavered Shayera, tears forming in her eyes.

"Yet," said Mari with another smile. "And I suppose it's the best thing for me, too. John was never mine to begin with, so I'm not being fair to myself either. And besides, there are plenty of other fish in the sea for this vixen," she said on a lighter note. Shayera giggled through the tears spilling down her cheeks. "But for John, there's only one bird in the sky."

Before either of them knew it, they were sobbing into each other's shoulders in a tight hug. The commotion around them didn't stop for their outpouring of emotions. John Stewart, however, had just walked back into the main bay after staring out the window into space for several minutes. Upon seeing the two women converged in an emotionally charged embrace, the Green Lantern immediately turned around and went back to his window.

As soon as Mari was able to speak, she said, "I have one condition though." The women pulled apart and looked at each other.

"Anything, anything!" choked Shayera through sobs of joy.

"Can I be the godmother?"

"Absolutely!" squealed Shayera as she threw her arms around Mari.

"Pffff…chicks," grunted Tim to himself as he watched the crying women from the turntable. He scanned the rest of the crowd, pondering on what to play next. Seeing as the majority of the population was tipsy, he decided it was best to go with a song that had a well-known, and perhaps difficult if intoxicated, set of dance moves. "Heeeeeey crazies!" he called over the microphone when the last song ended. No one seemed to hear him. "I said HEEEEEEEY CRAZIES!" Now that he had their attention, the crowd jeered "heeeeeeey!" back at their teenaged DJ. "Now that you're all drunk and chasing invisible fairies, let's change it up a bit. This song is the greatest one-hit wonder of all time. Hopefully you all remember the dance moves!" The Latin pop song Macarena blared through the Watchtower as red and yellow lights swirled around the dance floor.

Shayera and Mari didn't hesitate to sprint onto the dance floor when the song came on. Ollie and Dinah left the piano, Clark and Lois stopped chasing fairies, and Vic and Helena ceased their sex-wrestling to do the Macarena. Even Tim went through the motions behind the turntable. There was not one person in the main bay, human or otherwise, to opt out of dancing the Macarena.

x.x.x

still to be continued……(a few more songs to hit and a little more time to be spent with the oh so hilarious question and huntress. also im going to make a playlist for this kickass party, cuz it deserves one.)


End file.
